Wristbands are used for a variety of different purposes such as, e.g., to retain a wristwatch, to indicate admittance to a popular concert or nightclub; to provide identifying information for a hospital patient, and the like. In these examples, the wristband provides information to the person (e.g., the time) or provides information about the person (e.g., their name).
More recently some types of wristbands have included the capability to electronically store information. For instance, a hospital band may include information about the patient. In certain instances, such bands may also include radio frequency identification (RFID) devices that allow remote access to information stored therein. Such information may include, e.g., the name, age, and associated medical conditions of the patient.
Wristbands are typically secured to the wrist of a person through the use of a buckle, elastic members or simply mechanically constricting the band enough so that it will not slide off the hand of the person (e.g., a handcuff). Other types of bands may enable more sophisticated security schemes. One example of this is electronic monitoring. An electronic monitoring anklet may be locked into place and not removable without a specific key. If the anklet is somehow removed (e.g., cut) then an alert may be triggered. Such a device is then both tamper resistant (e.g., due to the key requirement) and tamper alert (due to the alert that is triggered when cut).
However, these types of bands may be complex in operation and may be prone to false alarms or the like. Thus, it will be appreciated that new and interesting techniques in this area are continually sought.
In certain example embodiments, a tamper alert RFID wristband is provided. An example wristband may combine two materials. A first layer of conductive material and a second layer of non-conductive material. The conductive layer may include a conductive thermoplastic elastomer or other type of material that is conductive (e.g., contains conductive carbon and/or metal particles). In certain examples, the material may be same material (e.g., rubber) but one layer portion thereof may be made conductive (e.g., due to conductive carbon loading) and the other may remain non-conductive.
In certain examples, an RFID chip may connect the conductive material or layers to form a closed circuit when the wristband is closed. However, when the wristband is opened (e.g. cut or unfastened or otherwise removed) the normally conductive circuit is opened.
In certain examples, a non-conductive layer may provide a buffer such that the above noted electrical circuit remains open until the wristband is closed. The non-conductive material or layer may separate two or more conductive layers and be used as a base for holding an RFID chip, display and/or related circuitry/transducers.
According to certain example embodiments, the shape and/or placement of the conductive material may increase surface contact area provided for establishing a closed circuit and thus possibly decrease the prevalence of false alarms. Certain example embodiments may decrease (or even eliminate) the need for additional pins or other materials that otherwise may be needed to ensure that the circuit is closed on the wristband. As a result of certain example structural implementations, possibly adverse impacts of dirt, humidity, liquids, or other environmental factors may be reduced.
In certain examples, if the tamper monitor circuit is opened, an active RFID chip of the wristband may submit an alert a central messaging server. Such an alert may include information such as patient location, status, patient ID, or the like associated with the patient's assigned wristband.
An example RFID tamper alert wristband may include an advanced level of identification and tracking. In certain examples, the wristband includes a micro-computer chip and RF (radio frequency) antenna which allows the information to be written and retrieved by RFID readers and/or exciters. The following example actions may trigger a tamper alert: 1) cutting the wristband; 2) opening the wristband without authorization; 3) the battery on the wristband becoming low; 4) detection of the wristband being in an unauthorized location or outside an authorized location; and 5) detection of the wristband failing to “ping” a central server for more than, for example, 60 seconds, and the like. In certain examples, each trigger (e.g., examples 1-5 above) may correspond to a different identified type of alert. For example, a critical message notification may be triggered when the wristband is cut or a service level notification may be triggered if battery power on the wristband is detected below a certain threshold.